New Service For Vulnerable Adults
from a News Release on the Government of Ontario Website
TORONTO - The Government of Ontario, IBM Canada Ltd. and ARCH (Defending the Rights of People with Disabilities) have partnered to launch InfoAbility, a new information and referral service for Ontario's estimated 300,000 vulnerable adults. Vulnerable adults are defined as those whose disability, medical condition, communication problem or age makes it difficult for them to express or act on their own wishes.
The core of this program is a free, confidential telephone information service, through which trained operators will answer questions on issues of concern to this community, such as criteria for government programs, service availability, and how to address abuse. It will be offered in both English and French via telephone, TTY/Teletypewriter, fax, mail, e-mail and a Web site at "www.infoability.org". Callers will be referred to appropriate agencies for legal advice, counselling and service coordination.
The project is funded under a two-year $1.2 million contract from the Ministry of Citizenship, Culture and Recreation, as part of the Ontario Government's Initiative for Vulnerable Adults, which provides support to community-led advocacy and services to deal with abuse and neglect. IBM Canada Ltd. has donated $80,000 in computer technology and software to support this service, which will draw on an extensive computerized database of services, research and reports.
InfoAbility is a project of ARCH (Defending the Rights of People with Disabilities). It develops and delivers its services in partnership with the Adaptive Technology Resource Centre (ATRC) at the University of Toronto, and the Ontario Network for the Prevention of Elder Abuse (ONPEA).
Contacts Steve Owens, InfoAbility 416-482-5896 x 238
Elaine Thompson, Ministry of Citizenship, Culture and Recreation 416-314-7389
Mike Quinn, IBM Canada Ltd. 905-316-2255
"http://www.infoability.org"
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